Demoralize (Verb)
Meaning 1
Lower someone's spirits; make downhearted; "These news depressed her"; "The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- The failure to find a job began to demoralize him and he lost interest in his studies.
- The persistent denial of her visa application would inevitably demoralize any person who was keen on starting a new life.
- Long term unemployment has the potential to financially and emotionally demoralize even the strongest of individuals.
- The prolonged illness of his family member continued to demoralize his father.
- Problems caused by an unstable income have started to demoralize a once vibrant young entrepreneur.
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Meaning 2
Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The excessive attention to material wealth and luxury seemed to demoralize the values that the small town once held dear.
- Excessive exposure to violent video games can demoralize young minds and lead to aggressive behavior.
- The politician's scandal was revealed to demoralize public trust in the institution, sparking widespread outrage and protests.
- He worried that the lifestyle of the rich and famous would demoralize his children's work ethic and sense of responsibility.
- Corrupt business practices are likely to demoralize honest entrepreneurs and make it harder for them to compete in the market.
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Meaning 3
Confuse or put into disorder; "the boss's behavior demoralized everyone in the office".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- Her erratic management style and unpredictable decisions demoralized the entire team.
- The new policy demoralized employees who felt their years of service were not being valued.
- The coach's yelling at the referee demoralized the players and ruined their focus on the game.
- A series of unexplained layoffs demoralized the staff, creating a sense of fear and insecurity.
- The prolonged power outage demoralized the town, as people struggled to cope without basic necessities.